1. The Field of the Invention
This invention broadly relates to a method of treating seed. In some of its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with a method whereby seed may be treated to achieve faster germination and/or a higher percent of germination. The invention is also concerned with an improved method of propagating plants from seeds.
2. The Prior Art
The planting of seeds is the most important method of propagating many species of plants. Examples of plants which may be propagated from seed include vines such as cucumbers, watermelons and cantaloupes, flowers such as marigolds, zinnias and pansies, cereals and small grains such as corn, wheat, oats and barley, forage crops and grasses such as alfalfa, lespedeza, clover, orchard grass, bluegrass and fescue, beans such as soy beans, string beans, pinto beans, navy beans and lima beans, peas such as English peas, chickpeas and blackeyed peas, and shrubbery and trees such as juniper, cedar, holly, pine, poplar and maple.
In practicing the basic prior art method, seeds usually are placed directly in the soil at the proper depth and spacing for the species being planted. The planted soil may be watered, or natural rain may be relied upon to provide sufficient moisture for germination. The period of time required for germination varies from species to species, but is usually at least several days and may be as long as several weeks in instances where the seed has a hard protective shell or thick skin. During a drought, the seeds are slow to germinate, the percent of germination is low, the survival rate is low and the surviving plants grow slowly. When seeds are planted during an extended period of wet weather, the seeds may develop a mold or fungus and fail to germinate properly, and when once germinated, the soil may be too wet for proper growth of the young plants.
A number of attempts have been made heretofore to overcome the above mentioned limitations and disadvantages of propagating plants from seeds. One prior art proposal involves soaking seeds having thick skins or shells in plain water for a period of time prior to planting to thereby achieve faster germination and especially in dry weather. Other proposals include treating the seeds with various formulations which inhibit mold and fungus growth and thereby achieve a higher percent of germination and especially in wet weather. While these and other prior art proposals are useful in treating seed of a number of plant species, they are not useful in all instances and especially when the seeds are normally hard to germinate even under optimum conditions. The prior art proposals also do not have a beneficial effect on the plants throughout their lifespan. Thus, plants propagated from seeds treated by the prior art methods do not grow more vigorously or yield more, nor are they more resistant to disease and/or adverse environmental conditions throughout their lifespan. Any beneficial effect gained by treating the seed by prior art methods prior to or at the time of planting is limited to the germination period or shortly thereafter, as distinguished from long term benefits.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the art has long sought an entirely satisfactory method of propagating plants from seeds which not only assures faster germination and a higher percentage of germination, but which also simultaneously provides plants characterized by increased vigor and resistance to disease and adverse environmental conditions over their lifespan. However, such a method was not available prior to the present invention.